New Lakehead University President Brian Stevenson Talks About Future
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New Lakehead University Prez

New Lakehead University President Brian Stevenson Talks About Future
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by Scott A. Sumner

www.thunderbaybusiness.ca


It was fun to sit down with our new Lakehead University President, Brian Stevenson and find out more about him as a person, his background and experience and the directions in which he would like to see the university proceed. The 53 year old was really interesting to
talk to and has many goals ahead for Lakehead  University.

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Where are you from Brian and what is your background?

I am from  Victoria, BC. My mother is Mexican and my parents first met on a cruise ship between  Mexico and  Vancouver. We lived first in Victoria and then in  Mexico and then came back to Victoria. I received my BA and MA at the University of  Victoria and PHD from Queens  University. My last job was Provost Academic at the  University of  Winnipeg. I worked in  Washington, at the  University of  Alberta and in Foreign Affairs with Lloyd Axworthy and Art Eggleton in  Ottawa. The government, university and foreign experience I believe are
my strengths. I have been outside of a university environment and have seen a broader picture of what a university role should be in the broader society.

How did you get the president’s job?

I was recruited for this job after about a 1 1/2 years search by a search consultant. There is the research side and administrative side in universities. If you are an administrator and interested in that type of work, being the president of a university is the ultimate culmination of this work.

What does your job involve?

This is an all encompassing job and takes all your time. I would like to take my experience to the classroom in the business school if time permitted, but there are only 24 hours in the day. I arrived in August. The job is long - days and weekends. It is a very demanding schedule but par for the course for any university or college president. It is not 9 to 5. Very few jobs left are 9 to 5. You drive yourself. I have several roles here. I chair the Senate, am on the Board of Governors, and I am Chair of the Board of Directors of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine. I am trying to do fundraising work with government and develop strategies to increase the number of students. It is an all encompassing position

What were the experiences and talents that I have that are needed at
this institution is important?

It is a match of the individual and the university that brings the two together. Fred Gilbert laid the foundation for me to be able to come and add my value to international development, reaching out to Aboriginal people, doing economic development and reaching out to the  GTA
Toronto area to bring more students here. There is also the role of developing the Orillia campus. These are all things that I have accomplished before in one job or another.

Had you been to Thunder Bay before?

I had driven through Thunder Bay. I knew Lakehead for variety of reasons. It was a University of a similar size to the University of  Winnipeg but it had comprehensive programs. I looked at Lakehead as a model as to where  Winnipeg should end up in terms of professional
programs. I was aware of the Lakehead Thunderwolves hockey which is a privately funded hockey team and well known. I knew about the Northern Ontario School of Medicine and was very impressed.

What is your feeling on the future of  Lakehead  University?

The next few years will see some challenges as part of a long term trend of diminishing resources for universities. We have to find ways of becoming more independent financially, being able to do things with less and be better managers. We are a public service and want to
give the student the maximum for their money but we still have to pay for heating the buildings and staff. We do have a lower cost of living here. We provide a very good education and provide a good cost for this education.
The two themes around my installation are; what is the role of the university in economic development and secondly, how can we help First Nations communities to be more active in higher education by bringing in more students. The other three issues are: how to promote excellence in research and teaching, enhance student experience and develop our graduate programs. How do we maintain a sustainable tuition and still manage the financial area and finally how do we promote that  Orillia campus. It is very successful campus in Orillia
and helping us attract more students to Thunder Bay because the branding of Lakehead in the  GTA is growing.  Orillia has 1000 students now and there are 8000 here. First Nations students are over a 1000 of our students in Thunder Bay. My hope is to double or triple Aboriginal students here and to encourage more international students and more students from the GTA. In the GTA, there are many students looking for a university. We need more and more undergraduate students. In order to provide a full medical and graduate school you need more undergraduates. This would help create more economic development. My aim is to put the university on that route. It won’t happen only on my watch but we will start the process.

What is the role of the university in the business community?

There are two roles for a university. One is the passive, which is the presence of our
$ 130 million budget that comes through the university, what the staff and faculty spend and the purchasing power the students bring to the economy. The other role is the proactive role. How can we provide certain areas of research and training that will help the private sector develop here in Thunder Bay and the First Nation communities develop in  Northwestern Ontario?
We can actively help in training and research to be a catalyst for economic development, the way for example, that Waterloo and Wilfred Laurier were with the Blackberry approach. We are headed towards a more knowledge based economy. We have to continue with mining
and forestry but at the same time work in medical and other business knowledge based areas. In knowledge based economies, universities are at the heart and the driver. It is happening to some extent now but how can we guide it better. We can’t just let it happen by itself but must
guide it strategically.

What is an average day like for you?

This week on Tuesday, I was at the gym at 7 am with my trainer at LU. Then I had a senior management meeting, lunch , met with the Athletic Director, met a local developer going over some local plans, met with the VP Research, met with Internal Staff and another VP, then with one of our unions and had an evening meeting with our board Chair before I went home for dinner. Some days and weeks are pretty long. I also travel to the other campus in Orillia for event and activities. I have a wife and two young daughters ages 7 and 9. It gives balance to my life. I would tend to only dedicate myself to my work if I didn’t have children. Children always ground you and give you a perspective on life. They let you know no matter how serious
things are they are really not all that serious. Family to me is very important including my extended family. I think this sense of perspective helps you in life.

What is the role of the business community with Lakehead  University?

I have to connect to the business community. For instance, we are spending money for deferred maintenance here. The government has given us some money and we are repairing elevators, replacing windows and sprucing up offices. We  do need a strategy for a campus renewal campaign not only with provincial government money but with funding from alumni and business to improve the campus. It is a priority for me because we have to take care of the older buildings.We want to be more proactive and understand how the direction of the university can support the direction of the economy in the North. We have the intelligence in people in the various areas whether it is engineering, business, and medicine or health science. The expertise is here; you just have to give them a sense of direction to
help engage the economy.

Do you look forward to your new role here?

I love to be with and around people and that is why I am doing this job. I love talking to people and that is why I am always running late. If people are out in the hallways and want to talk to me I want to listen to students or staff members. I love that. It is important to listen to people.


Brian Stephenson is a big soccer fan growing up in  Mexico but also enjoys volleyball, basketball and hockey and is a fan of the Thunderwolves. He really loves golf which is a favourite sport and is looking forward to playing the many great golf courses here.



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